There are two ways to change an established way of thinking:
One is to theorise, philosophise and put forward a strong argument to support what you believe to be true. The second is simpler: go out and change it!
The shearing industry, which for much of its history was just about exclusively dominated by male shearers, has relatively recently undergone a revolution where young (and not so young) women are showing (through their actions rather than words) that they are the equal of their male counterparts.
And in the shearing industry there is no better way, in fact, there is no other way to show how good you are compared to your peers than by shearing more than what they can – exactly what these young women are showing and proving.
Every sport needs its heroes and rivals. Tennis had Federer and Nadal. Basketball had Jordan and Pippen. Boxing had Frazier and Ali. In the past, shearing had Fagan and MacDonald, and what it currently has is Sacha Bond and Megan Whitehead, both already superstars, and both about to have a crack at each other’s shearing world records.
Sacha holds the 8-hour lamb shearing world record (601), and Megan is going to try and beat it on the 15th of December.
Megan holds the 9-hour lamb shearing world record (661), and Sacha is going to try and beat it on the 19th of December.
Both are at the top of their games. Both have successfully set world records in the past. Both have style, guts, grit, stamina, attitude, fitness, and a pig-headed unwillingness to accept anything other than everything, that is the hallmark of champions.
We are sure they will do well and of course there are many factors outside of their control like the weather, quality of the lambs etc, but possibly the biggest unknown comes in the name of another young woman called Hannah McColl who is going for the 2-stand record with Megan.
Hannah is not as well-known as Megan and Sacha (yet), but she has all the aforementioned attributes. And while this is her first record attempt, we have it on good authority that she is not just there to make up the numbers but may very well be the dark horse in the race.
Here at Perkinz we are incredibly proud to support these amazing young women who are not just changing reality but changing people’s perception of what’s possible.
Go Sacha, Megan & Hannah – dream big and give ‘em hell!
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that often do!” - Steve Jobs